Dress With Conscience

Overview

Cubreme is a Certified B Corporation that designs unique, high-quality textiles created using renewable natural resources such as regional natural fibers that provide value and a different way of dressing in a healthy and exemplary manner. Cubreme promotes responsible and fair trade and cares about flora and fauna without threatening the environment.

Author

Florencia Fernandez

School

Instituto Universitario Escuela Argentina de Negocios (IUEAN)

Professor

Renée Carrelo

Innovation

Alejandra Gottelli is the founder who started the textile project in 2004. Located in Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina, the company has already been recognized with several awards. It uses 100% natural fibers such as San Luis flame, merino Patagonian wool, Peruvian organic cotton, carded silk from Paraguay, Brazilian flax, bamboo, tencel, hemp, etc. Mixtures and combinations of fibers achieve appropriate textures and styles for the four seasons.

Cubreme selects small producers from different rural areas that align with its philosophy and work practices. Alejandra cares about animal welfare, respect for communities, and the health of the soil.

As a small example of process and development, Alejandra told us about some good practices: "The llama hair is obtained from the sheared hair during the spring months, only once a year, and later the bundles of fibers arrive to Buenos Aires, and it is transformed into yarn in a boutique spinner.

"Once the fiber is spun, the fabrics are made in manual looms and with the cloths, of various points and wefts, the tailors make the attire of men and women or the lolaristas deco line and interior design (blankets, rugs, etc.).

The value chain is composed of great professionals who approve and share the work on a small scale. The artisan process and care involved in each step makes the whole value chain remarkable and excellent, encouraging dedication, dedication for their trades, and the tradition of loving daily work."

Cubreme provides the greatest transparency and traceability. Whole textile pieces include labels with complete information so that the customer may be aware of the history of each product.

Cubreme carries in its logo the last inverted "e" as a reminder of the need to return to social equity, environmental balance, and business ethics. Companies must be profitable without forgetting the common good.

Inspiration

Whole designs convey simplicity and passion for detail, with simple lines and natural colors that maintain the essence and cradle of their raw materials. No annual collections are created, but rather proposals for the different cold and warm seasons; in this way the garments and objects have "timelessness."

The greatest sources of inspiration are nature, Korean and post-war cinema, and stories by Charles Dickens and Philip K. Dick.

Overall impact

The main impact is related to the company's focus on social and environmental responsibility within the textile industry. A new economy with local work is needed, where products with added value and quality are developed and not only supply the voracious demands of fast fashion and its trends, which also generate unfair work.

On the other hand, the brand focuses on the revaluation of crafts, with slow and real times using traditional techniques that promote social inclusion.

Business benefit

As mentioned before, the company promotes the social inclusion of people who were out of the labor market through the revaluation of manual labor.

On the other hand, it looks for all its production processes to be careful with the environment and only have a positive impact on the community, always trying to use the best renewable raw materials. It is a business model that should be replicated for a sustainable and fairer planet, and it is a good idea for companies to reconsider their objective and purpose.

Social and environmental benefit

The future must be built by everyone through processes and relationships that protect the environment in which we live and the community of which we are a part. If we do not begin to promote awareness about the importance of the impact that companies have on consumers' consumption, what planet will we have in a few decades? We live in ambitious economies governed by selfish people who only look for their individual interest.

We need to redefine the sense of success. We need to look for a more sustainable way of consumption and production for everybody, focusing on caring about ourselves and our planet. We need market and economic relationships to be oriented toward improving the common good.